


New in town

by Thepurebloodprincess



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Coffeeshop AU, F/M, Fluff, alternative universe, coffeeshop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 12:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10854006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thepurebloodprincess/pseuds/Thepurebloodprincess
Summary: Livia has recently moved to a new town, and hasnt quite settled down yet. On a rainy day she visits the local starbucks, running into a barista called Connor.





	New in town

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago, but never got around to posting it. I hope you enjoy it! :)

February meant long and rainy days, where the world was grey and the people hidden underneath colourful umbrellas. Being a stranger to a new and unfamiliar place is always daunting, but especially so when the sky refused to clear up. University classes had begun already, yet the school grounds were almost abandoned apart from a few students hurdling across the lawn to get inside. The outside area was usually popular at any time of the year, even during the colder months, and was always occupied by outdoor lovers, smokers, and those eager to learn but unwilling to be captured in the business inside. Since they were no longer here, there was a big possibility they had streamed into the library and conquered every empty seat, taking their chit-chat and flickering of pages there. Campus would be a good option to find wifi when you had just moved into your apartment where such a thing had not been installed yet, but on this day it was impossible to beat the crowd. Livia sighed heavily as she looked up at the lit windows, skimping the outlines of moving groups and decided to head back into town. It was only a short walk to what the citizens referred to as the city centre. It was a rather small city and looked old, almost like nothing had changed in 100 years. The special thing about all the little brick buildings was that they were in the same state as they were built, with hardly a scratch to prove their history. It was part of the charm, Livia thought. There was a large church that stole all the attention with its massive pillars and golden stone, but she had heard the museum gardens were quite the sight at the right time of year. Despite only being here for two days, she guessed this wasn't the right time. The town was bursting with unique boutiques and shops, selling everything from handmade ballgowns to special chocolates. She had noticed quiet coffee shops tucked away on street corners and shops with attention seeking displays, but dared not enter one. Despite her phone notifying her of the presence of wifi, there was just something about them that made her hesitate. They were almost too quiet, and she imagined elderly women sipping tea while talking about the horrors of today's youth. There probably wasn't much truth to that, and even though there was a reason she moved out of the big city, there was something about the calm nature of those places that unsettled her. So she did what most city girls would do and stepped out of the pouring rain and into the warm embrace of starbucks. She sighed heavily as her ears filled with murmurs and clinking cups, and she could smell the freshly brewed coffee. Her toes had gone wet from the poor decision that was her shoes, the burgundy velvet stained by the water. There wasn't much choice when all your belongings were in boxes. Starbucks was a popular destination even away from the big city, and clusters of girls in their early and mid-teens gathered in comfortable chairs by the windows. Students gathered were they could plug in their computers and tablets, and men in suits stood by the counter, impatiently waiting for their order so they could run off again. There were several baristas behind the counter, 3 that she could count, but she could barely see them over the massive queue. She sighed and found an empty seat at a table that was tucked away in the corner. She set her bag on the table, brushing the water of the dark fabric. Her umbrella found a resting spot underneath the table and she pulled up her phone, wiping the screen clean before unlocking it. It didn't take her long to log into the wifi and open all her social media accounts, taking a deep breath of relief as her old friends popped up into her newsfeed. As much as she needed change and had been desperate to move, leaving them behind wasn't easy. Livia looked up as she noticed a stare coming from ahead of her. One of the baristas had his eyes locked on her. His skin was sun-kissed and his eyes bursting with confidence, his hair elegantly swept backwards as he kept running his hands through it. He was italian, judging by his accent as he called out names of customers waiting for their drink. She turned her attention back to her phone, suddenly aware of strangers gazes falling on her. There was this recurring feeling of not belonging, of standing out too much. It had followed her for her entire life, yet it had never bothered her until she had pulled the rug out from underneath her own feet. Insecurity came with turning your life upside down, Livia noticed.   
“Excuse me,” A soft voice tore her away from her own thoughts.  
A little startled, Livia looked up and was met by soft brown eyes and a gentle expression.   
“Would you like to order a drink?” The barista asked, his accent very different from the other one.   
He was tall and had broad shoulders, his arms defined underneath his uniform. His skin was a warm brown colour, his dark hair tossed up into one of those buns that was trendy these days, but Livia wasn't quite sure if he was aware of that. The strands on the side were braided and hugged the curves of his face, strong cheekbones becoming more prominent. He had a careful smile that perhaps was a little shy. She replied with a smile.  
“Oh yes, I hadn't quite made it to the line yet.” She said apologetically, looking away from his curious gaze. Despite her eyes being averted, she knew he was still smiling. There was something about his energy that put her on edge. Not in a bad way, but not in a good way either. It made her a little nervous, she noticed. It must have been the lack of socializing for the past few weeks.  
“I brought the line to you.” He responded, then paused abruptly towards the end. “Or.. i didn't bring the line, I suppose..”   
He cleared his throat, getting lost in what he was trying to say. She looked up at him again and their eyes met, a shameless kindness displayed in them. She realized what was putting her on edge. He radiated kindness without any strings attached. It was rare, and you certainly didn't see it much in the city.  
“What drink would you like?” He asked again, a hint of nervousness in his voice.  
“A peppermint mocha, please.” she responded, broadening her smile.  
“Coming right up.” He said in a low voice, hard to catch amongst the background noise.  
She nodded and leaned back in her seat, watching him walk away and disappear behind the counter. She saw his head appear a few times, and their eyes met every time. He always smiled at her in that same way, careful and gentle and completely natural. The other barista, with a name sign saying “Ezio”, nudged the one who had just come up to her. He had a charming smile and a loud laughter that spread easily, a joy to his step as he bounced around serving drinks. He tossed his arm around her barista as she tried to catch his name, but to no avail. She smiled as their gazes hasted past each other again, bringing her attention back to her phone. It didn't take long before a steaming cup of coffee was placed in front of her. The strong scent of peppermint mixed with chocolate brought a smile to her face.  
“Enjoy your drink!” He said somewhat hastily, turning around and taking a step towards his working station, before he noticed Livia getting up to pay. He paused and waved his arms toward the seat, almost knocking over her coffee in the process. He blushed a deep shade of pink that suited him well, before straightening up.  
“It's on the house.” The barista stated, still avoiding her gaze despite his welcoming smile.  
Livia raised an eyebrow in surprise, but wrapped her hands around the cup gratefully.  
“Thank you, Connor.” She said.  
It was his turn to be surprised now, and it took him a moment to realize she was reading of his sign. He chuckled a little awkwardly before hurrying away. Livia cocked her head, but then shook the situation off, instead focusing on her drink and the much needed access to the internet. 

Hours flew by, and the coffeeshop had fallen almost silent as most went home for dinner. She couldn't help herself and glanced at the baristas every now and again, who had gone from extremely busy to taking orders or cleaning tabletops at a much more leisurely pace. She watched Connor for a while, who was clearing away cups close to the door. A large group of students left and he managed to smile at every single one of them and wish them a nice evening. Not in a way restaurant workers were supposed to, but like he genuinely hoped they enjoyed their night. Livia found it strange, but also appealing. Ezio was trailing him through the shop, watching him carry empty plates back and forth but never helping. They were having a conversation Livia couldn't catch anything of, but Connor looked a little uncomfortable. The blush he was wearing suited him well, and the way his hands trembled slightly at something Ezio said was quite charming until he almost dropped everything he was holding. Connor straightened up and gave Ezio a glare that wasn't exactly annoyed but not pleased either, before he changed his course towards her table. Livia quickly looked down again, hearing his heavy footsteps approach. Connor cleared his throat and she turned her attention towards him, pretending she had not been watching him for a while.   
“Would you like some food? You.. You have been for a while and you must be getting hungry.” Connor said, a hint of worry apparent on his face.   
Livia smiled at his thoughtfulness, but shook her head. She motioned to the seat opposite her.  
“You could keep me company, if you want? If you are not busy, I mean.” She asked.  
He seemed to be caught off guard a little, like he had rehearsed a setting in his head that did not go according to plan, but sat down regardless. He folded his hands on the table, keeping his gaze locked on them, but his eyes couldn't help drifting towards her.   
“I haven't seen you around before.” Connor mumbled.  
She had to lean in a little to hear him clearly. He smelled faintly of the woods.  
“I come from the big city.” She replied with a smile.  
His eyes widened and he cocked his head, the little braids framing his facing falling to the side. It gave her a strong urge to push them behind his ear, but they didn`t seem to bother him.  
“Really? How have you gotten yourself here, in this tiny town in a world of opportunities?” He asked curiously, as if he couldn't grasp the concept.  
She shrugged.  
“I got bored of it, I suppose. People think a city never sleeps is all fun and games, and I suppose it is to some. But I woke up one day and realized I was so sick of it that I couldn't stand it anymore.” She responded.  
“So you came here, to the countryside? Far away from everyone you know? Or do you have friends or family here?” He asked excitingly.  
“I'm all on my own here, it's part of the fun. I am certain I will meet people at university, but it's nice to stand on my own two feet for once.” She smiled, then leaned back and crossed her arms. “And what about you, what's your story?”  
He smiled properly now, all lips and a little glimpse of teeth, his bright brown eyes giving her an intense but welcome look.  
“I will tell you over dinner.” He offered.


End file.
